We can never be certain how St. Francis of Assisi envisioned heaven and the majesty of God. Francis was a medieval man, and his understanding of the cosmos was radically different from ours. But for centuries, Christians had accepted a model of the universe as one constructed with the Earth at the center, and the Sun, the Moon, and the planets in separate, concentric spheres moving outward to the sphere of the stars.
As we continue our celebration of the “Easter of St. Francis,” our attention now turns to his relationship with God. For the theme of this issue of the TAU, we have chosen the Prayer Inspired by the Our Father (FA:ED, vol.1, p.158). This prayer is one of the clearest windows into St. Francis’s inner spirituality: contemplative, Trinitarian, and centered on God’s overflowing goodness. It is an authentic Franciscan text preserved in the earliest manuscript collections and universally accepted by modern scholars.
My very first introduction to a Secular Franciscan was getting to know a gentle soul named Anna. When she described her relationship with God as “intimacy,” I knew that I wanted to have what she already possessed. I wanted to love God as she loved Him. Anna was my living model of loving Christ. She lived her Franciscan life as Francis did: with humility, simplicity and love for others. Although Anna surely knew suffering in her life, she still remained joyful and caring.
The mission of Franciscan Month is to celebrate the 800-year charism of the Franciscan way of life, to build awareness about this way of life, and to invite and inspire people of all faiths to live it. Our intention for 2026 is to promote the Franciscan values of simplicity, care for creation, peacemaking, the dignity and integrity of each person and service to the poor, marginalized and forgotten - especially during this Jubilee Year of St. Francis.
This year, we will celebrate the 21st Quinquennial Congress (Q2026) at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, Kentucky, from July 29 to August 2. This gathering comes at a particularly grace-filled moment, as the global Franciscan family continues to celebrate the Jubilee Year of St. Francis and the 800th anniversaries that mark the final years of his earthly life.
In my lifetime, four of my relatives have celebrated their 100th birthday. A century is a long time. But this year, as you all know, we are celebrating the 800th anniversary of Francis’ death. How does Francis stay so popular after eight centuries? We can get an idea by looking at what has happened in just the last 40 years – my part of the story.
At the CIOFS General Chapter in Rome (November 2024), the theme “You Are Love” reminded us that the Franciscan way of life begins with God’s initiative: God loved us first. From this gift flows the love we extend to ourselves, to our families, and to every brother and sister we meet along the way.
In response to the announcement of a Year of St. Francis, Fr. Marek Weresa, who is a contributor of Vatican News, interviewed Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary. One of the questions he asked, after a tremendous Jubilee Year and now another special invitation to enjoy a Year of St. Francis, was, “What can we do to prevent this time from becoming banal?”
In this jubilee year of our founder, the great peacemaker and reconciler, it is fitting that we have called the membership to work visibly for justice and mercy for immigrants
This year the Church marks the 800th anniversary of the transitus, the passing into eternal life of Francis of Assisi. In honor of this moment, Pope Leo XIV has named 2026 the Year of St. Francis. For Secular Franciscans, this is more than remembering the past. It is an invitation: a year to begin again.